The County of Kauai remains in a tropical storm warning as officials continue to prepare for the arrival of tropical storm Flossie later Monday. The storm is expected to bring heavy rains and strong winds by Monday afternoon and throughout Monday night, with the potential for flash flooding.

As a precaution, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has closed the Kalalau trail this morning. The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) has been conducting fly-overs along the Na Pali coast since Sunday afternoon to warn campers and hikers of the oncoming storm and potential for flash flooding. CAP will continue fly-overs Monday, and state DLNR personnel will be posted at the Kee Beach trailhead to warn potential hikers of the closure.

The Department of Water has cancelled the previously scheduled water outage for the Hanalei and Waipa areas. The outage was originally scheduled to take place Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, but will be rescheduled for a later date. The new water outage date will be announced as information becomes available.

The Lihue Airport remains open at this time, but travelers are encouraged to contact their airlines and hotels directly as some airlines have begun cancelling flights. County officials are working with the Kauai Visitors Bureau to prepare travelers for severe weather and assist with shelter accommodations, if needed.

The American Red Cross is in the process of posting a staging area on the north end of the Hanalei Bridge in the event that heavy rains cause the closure of Kuhio Highway in the vicinity of the bridge.

At this time, all county offices remain open and all services available.